2. Cover Photo: Front Row. Hannah Lloyd, Staci Brown, Kaylyn Peters, Amber Donley, Kristen Peters, Jeffrey Fox, Miriam D’Onfrio, Cole Lillard,
Savannah Fitzwater, Jaci Dickerson, Heather Seipel, Malika Taalbi.
Middle Row. Shannon Stacy, Daniel Westlake, Anagha Iyengar, Jessica Wilbourne, Elizabeth Davis, Jordan Arnswald,
Dan Mingrone, Jesse Corradi, Adam Hoffman, Nicholas Quintero, Gabrielle Lyon.
Back Row. Aaron Avrakotos, Matthew MacDougall, Willie Ward III, Daniel Sharp, Juan-Antonio Vigil, Kaylyn McCoy, Jerry Davydov,
Brendan Reardon, Matt Proveaux, Nicholas Wondra, Paul Holland.
3. Developing Leaders for
U.S. National Security
The importance of developing future leaders for U.S.
national security, and for the Nuclear Security
Enterprise (NSE) in particular, necessitates an approach
that recruits and retains highly motivated and
qualified individuals. For two decades, the National
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate
Fellowship Program (NGFP) has been doing just that.
NGFP has grown from 3 Fellows in the inaugural Class
of 1995 to 34 Fellows in the Class of 2014-2015. Over
the course of these years, the program has become a
recognized resource for bringing top talent to our
nation’s critical nuclear security missions.
Like the many classes before it, the Class of 2014-2015
entered our program ready to help create solutions to
complex challenges facing the nation and its security.
The class made significant contributions that will have
an enduring effect on NNSA’s future activities and
missions—from nuclear security and nonproliferation
to stockpile stewardship, to infrastructure and
oversight. Working directly in program offices and field
sites across the country, these men and women
became leaders and problem solvers, helping to shape
the future of nuclear security technology and policy.
From orientation to brownbag luncheons, National
Laboratory roundtables to the Alumni Forum, the
Fellows built relationships, networked with leaders
from across the enterprise—and the globe—and set
the foundation for diverse and challenging career
opportunities.
R. M. Hendrickson
National Nuclear Security Administration
Associate Administrator
for Management and Budget
Upon completing their fellowships, the Class of 2014-
2015 Fellows joined the more than 310 alumni who
have completed the program and who have made, and
continue to make, valuable contributions to the NSE.
Altogether, more than 60% of NGFP alumni have joined
the NNSA team, labs, and other government
organizations, including 24 of the Class of 2014-2015
Fellows who committed to join and serve in critical
positions throughout the NSE.
Looking to the future, we will continue to evolve the
program to better meet mission needs while delivering
the training experience and leadership development
necessary to grow future leaders and experts. The Class
of 2015-2016 will be the largest to date with 38
Fellows. The class will also be the first to feature two
Fellows assigned to the U.S. Department of State,
which joined the program in 2015.
I would like to personally thank the Class of 2014-2015
for a successful year, and I look forward to interacting
with and admiring all NGFP Fellows—past, present,
and future—in their commitment to embrace service
to the nation’s critical nuclear security and nonpro-
liferation missions. Together, this growing team of
NNSA professionals and partners across the NSE is
committed to attracting and developing tomorrow’s
nuclear security talent.
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
iii
Classof2014-2015
iii
4. Summary
program management. They assisted in crucial
business operations, conducted security analyses,
worked directly with representatives in the United
States and partner countries to inform essential
decision-making, developed and presented at high-
level workshops and conferences, and cultivated
major international engagements.
• Career Development. NGFP supported more than
eight career development and networking events,
including briefings with the U.S. Senate Committee
on Intelligence, Deputy Administrator for Defense
Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN) Anne Harrington,
and other leaders from across the nuclear security
community.
• Advancing the Mission. More than 60% of Fellows
were retained in positions throughout the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) and NNSA complex,
with the remaining Fellows taking the NNSA
perspective with them to other mission-aligned
agencies and private industry.
• Looking Forward. The incoming Class of 2015-2016
will be the largest in the NGFP’s 20-year history.
The class comprises 38 fellows, with approximately
35% technical, 55% policy, and 10% operations/
business backgrounds, placed across 32 program
offices. This class will be the first to offer two
placements with the Department of State.
The Class of 2014-2015 pictured in front of the B Reactor at
the Hanford Site nuclear reservation in Washington State.
The mission of NGFP is to attract and develop
exceptional next-generation leaders in nuclear security
and nonproliferation. To advance this mission, NGFP
manages an integrated suite of activities to train and
engage the best and brightest graduate-level students
from top-tier universities across the nation. The annual
program lifecycle includes interviews with NNSA
program offices to determine hiring needs, outreach
to universities to attract top candidates, managing
interviews and hiring, and providing professional
development opportunities throughout Fellows’ year-
long assignments. The Class of 2014-2015 began their
fellowships in June of 2014 and finished in June 2015.
Significant accomplishments for this class included:
• Outreach & Recruitment. NGFP received a record
250 highly qualified candidate applications.
Candidates hailed from more than 30 states
and six foreign countries, reflecting the full
scope of the program’s campus and online
outreach strengths.
• Selection & Hiring. The Class of 2014-2015 included
34 graduate-level students from 25 top universities
across the United States. This class has the strongest
balance of technical, policy, and business
backgrounds compared with former classes. It
also has the highest number of “hybrid students”
(having an undergraduate degree in one category
but finishing a graduate degree in another).
• Placements. The 34 Fellows were hired for
positions with 27 different program offices
across seven NNSA divisions.
• Value to NNSA. Fellows made significant
contributions in areas of policy, technology, and
Breakdown by Agency/Type
Through these accomplishments, NGFP is developing
outstanding leaders who are dedicated to the NNSA mission
to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism worldwide.
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
iv
7. About the Program
Overview
NGFP was created to cultivate future leaders in
nuclear security and nonproliferation. Through
NGFP, outstanding graduate students with career
interests in nuclear security are appointed to
program offices across NNSA. During their one-year
assignment, Fellows contribute to a variety of
programs that advance NNSA’s mission to maintain
our nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile without
nuclear testing, reduce global danger from weapons
of mass destruction, and respond to nuclear
and radiological emergencies.
This annual report covers program activities for the
Class of 2014-2015, from outreach in spring of 2013
through assignments that began in June 2014 and
ended in June 2015.
Organization
NGFP is managed through NNSA’s Office of Management
and Budget and administered by Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL), with roles shown in the
chart to the right.
Annual Lifecycle
Each year, NGFP’s annual lifecycle involves simultaneous
planning, administration, and implementation of
three different fellowship classes: onboarding and
administering the current class of Fellows, recruiting
and hiring the next class, and recruitment planning
for the future class.
“As this program moves forward, I’m thrilled
to see it continue to grow and recruit the
top talent in nuclear security policy, science,
and engineering. The breadth and impact
of the NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program
is clearly evident, and its future potential
seems unlimited.”
— Madelyn Creedon
NNSA Principal Deputy Administrator
20142013 2015
Class of 2014-2015 Lifecycle
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June
Outreach, Interviewing, Hiring
One-Year Fellowship TermOrientation
Organization for Class of 2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
1
Classof2014-2015
1
8. Responsibilities
NGFP Federal and PNNL Program Managers share a unified, best-in-class approach based on a common vision
and framework that is organized into five program elements, as shown in the figures below. These program
elements occur concurrently throughout the year as NGFP recruits the future class, onboards the incoming class,
and manages the outgoing glass.
June
J
uly
AugustSeptember
Octo
ber
NovemberDecember
Janu
ary
FebruaryMarch
Apr
il
May
Prepare Fiscal Year Budget
SubmitFiscalYearBudget
Recr
uitm
entStrategy
RecruitmentScheduling
&
O
ut
reach
Open Applications
& Training
MeetwithFellows
Meetwit
h
Fellows
MeetwithFellows
CareerEvent&CareerPlanning
Orientation
Managem
entofFellows
Closing Ceremony
Update Recruitem
ent
W
ebsite&
MerketingMaterialRecruitingEvents
CloseAp
plications
InterviewSelection,HQInterviews
Hiring
&
Beg
in
Clearances
SecurityClearanceProcessing
Monitor Applications
Travel,Logistic
PlanOrientation
Program Management
Recruitment
Selection & Hiring
Orientation & Training
Management of the Fellows
June
vemberDecember
Janu
ary
FebruaryMarch
Apr
il
May
Prepare Fiscal Y
Recr
uitm
entStrategy
RecruitmentScheduling
&
O
ut
reach
Open Applications
& Training
s
MeetwithFellows
CareerEvent&CareerPlanning
Orientation
Closing Ceremony
Upda
terviewSelection,HQInterviews
Hiring
&
Beg
in
Clearances
SecurityClearanceProcessing
Monitor Application
Travel,Logistic
PlanOrientation
Program Management
Recruitment
Selection & Hiring
Orientation & Training
Management of the Fellows
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
2
9. Class of 2014-2015
Each year, NGFP executes a strategic outreach and hiring
plan that ensures the best possible candidates are
recruited to achieve program goals. As program needs
evolve, so does NGFP’s approach. NGFP recruiters and
program managers work with NNSA to evolve outreach
and hiring efforts to serve the full breadth of NNSA
mission and mission support areas including
nonproliferation, defense programs, counterterrorism
and counterproliferation, nuclear safety and health,
site operations and infrastructure, and other critical
mission support functions.
As directed by the NNSA Federal Program Manager,
NGFP Fellows are hired as employees of Battelle, the
independent research organization that operates PNNL
for DOE. Thus, PNNL administers all pre-employment
and employment activities for NGFP Fellows, including
pre-interview background checks, required drug testing,
facilitation of security clearance processing, and
interview facilitation for NNSA. Hired Fellows enter their
positions with all of their employment details and
benefits in place, enabling them to immediately focus
on their new assignments.
Outreach and Hiring
To plan recruitment for the Class of 2014-2015, NGFP
engaged program offices to determine hiring needs and
leveraged connections at established partner
universities and professional associations. Outreach
specialists relied on a variety of methods, including
on-campus recruiting events, online and virtual
outreach, and strategic connections through former
Fellows, current program stakeholders, and various
professional and student organizations.
University Partnerships
The hallmark of the NGFP recruitment strategy is strong
relationships with partner universities. For the Class of
2014-2015, NGFP recruiters participated in or led more
than 60 events during university visits, including more
than 90 separate recruitment presentations. The events
included information sessions, faculty/advisor meetings,
diversity-focused student meetings, and collaborations
with a variety of student organizations to promote the
program. Each university had at least three different
activities or events; some campus visits had even more.
New recruiting relationships were formed with several
universities, including universities near NNSA sites, such
as Texas Tech and the University of Missouri, as well as
Minority-Serving Institutions such as New Mexico Tech
and Florida A&M University.
Online Outreach
Every year, NGFP recruiters work hard to build and
maintain a presence at universities through virtual means
such as university and organizational job boards, sending
program information to faculty, and utilizing alumni
networks. Virtual outreach accounts for a significant
proportion of applicants (usually about 30%). The
NGFP website is updated regularly to provide current
information and guidance throughout the application
process.
For the Class of 2014-2015, NGFP engaged more than
100 different programs at universities and professional
associations around the world with mission-relevant
programs through an online tracking system. NGFP’s
presence has been established and managed each year
on these university websites and listservs to raise
awareness at minimal cost.
Results
The Class of 2014-2015 saw the largest number of
applicants to date, with 250 total applications completed,
compared to 233 for the previous class. This is one of the
most diverse classes hired by this program, with the
strongest balance of technical, policy, and operations/
business backgrounds (40, 50, and 10% respectively). It
NGFP received a record 250 applications
from across the nation for the Class of 2014-2015.
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
3
Classof2014-2015
3
10. The map above indicates the home universities of the 34 selected Fellows,
including 3 universities that were represented for the first time.
also showcased a growing number of “hybrid students”–
candidates who may have an undergraduate degree in
one category but are a finishing a graduate degree in
another (such as a bachelor’s degree in nuclear
engineering, followed by a master’s degree in
international security policy).
Interviews, Hiring, and Clearances
Being able to choose the most promising interviewees
from a pool of already high-quality candidates means
that program offices get top candidates.
For the Class of 2014-2015, program offices selected
105 interview candidates from 250 applicants, or 42%
of the total applications. Thirty-one NNSA Program
Office teams conducted 192 interviews over a two-
week period through a combination of in-person
interviews, videoconferencing, and teleconferences.
Videoconferencing continues to be a positive
and efficient option to accommodate interviewers
and interviewees at multiple geographic locations.
NGFP conducted approximately 20% more video
teleconferences for the Class of 2014-2015 compared
to previous years.
After the NNSA Program Offices selected their hiring
choices, the Federal and PNNL Program Managers
worked with NNSA Program Office teams to align
candidates with mission areas for a total of
34 Fellows hired.
“At the 10th International Conference on
Methods and Applications of Radioanalytical
Chemistry (MARC) in 2015, I talked to graduate
students from a number of universities including
Clemson University, University of Washington,
UT Austin, University of Tennessee, University
of Michigan, Washington State University,
and Ohio State University. I had 3-5 students
tell me they were going to apply for the
fellowship.”
— NGFP Fellow
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
4
11. Miriam D’Onofrio: NA-25 Office of Global Material
Security
Savannah Fitzwater: NA-213 Office of Conversion
Jeffrey Fox: NA-241 Office of International Nuclear
Safeguards
Adam Hoffman: NA-242 Office of Nuclear Controls
(Export Control Review and Compliance)
Paul Holland: NA-242 Office of Nuclear Controls
(International Nonproliferation Export Control Program)
Anagha Iyengar: NA-241 Office of International Nuclear
Safeguards (Safeguards Technology)
Cole Lillard: NA-143 Office of Cost Policy and Analysis
Hannah Lloyd: NA-24 Nonproliferation and Arms
Control Front Office
Gabrielle Lyon: NA-142 Office of Budgeting,
Performance, and Decision Support
Matthew MacDougall: NA-532 Office of Nuclear
Material Operations
Kaylyn McCoy: NA-SH Office of Safety and Health,
with rotation at NA-LA National Security Missions
Daniel Mingrone: NA-256 Office of Nuclear Smuggling
Detection and Deterrence
Kaylyn Peters: NA-521 Office of Safety, Infrastructure
& Operations
Kristen Peters: NA-212 Office of European and African
Threat Reduction
Matthew Proveaux: NA-143 Office of Cost Policy
and Analysis
Nicholas Quintero: NA-73 Office of Nuclear Materials
Integration
Brendan Reardon: NA-256 Office of Nuclear Smuggling
Detection and Deterrence
Heather Seipel: NA-22 Office of Defense Nuclear
Nonproliferation Research and Development
Daniel Sharp: NA-123 Office of Material Management
and Technology Maturation
Shannon Stacy: DOE-IN-13 Department of Energy Office
of Intelligence and Counterintelligence
Malika Taalbi: NA-211 Office of Radiological Security
Juan-Antonio Vigil: NA-191 Office of Life Extension
Programs
Willie Ward III: NA-142 Office of Budgeting,
Performance, and Decision Support
Daniel Westlake: NA-193 Office of Recapitalization
Programs and Uranium Program Office
Jessica Wilbourne: NA-241 Office of International
Nuclear Safeguards
Nicholas Wondra: NA-MB-1 Office of International
Operations
Assigned Program Offices
Program offices carefully select Fellows whose
combination of academic backgrounds, skills, and
experience can make the most significant contributions
to their mission areas.
The 34 participants selected for the Class of 2014-2015
boasted the following statistics:
• Placement across seven DOE NNSA program offices
• Five Ph.D. candidates as well as advanced degrees
spanning the technology and policy spectrum,
including:
›› Physics, chemistry, nuclear engineering,
radiological science, health physics, and
mechanical engineering
›› Public policy, international affairs (including
security, policy, and economics), emergency and
disaster management, and political science
• Degrees from Columbia University, Georgetown
University, Johns Hopkins, Texas A&M, George
Washington University, Monterey Institute of
International Studies, and Tufts University,
among others
• Fluency in Mandarin, French, Arabic, Russian,
and Spanish
• Previous experience with the Defense Intelligence
Agency, Defense Appropriations Subcommittee,
U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of
Defense, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
Center for Space Nuclear Research, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, DOE National Laboratories,
and the U.S. Department of the Treasury
Individual biographies for the Class of 2014-2015 are
provided in the Appendix. Fellows and their assigned
program offices include:
Jordan Arnswald: NA-MB-53 Office of Site &
Program Support
Aaron Avrakotos: NA-00-20 Office of Safety,
Infrastructure & Operations
Staci Brown: NA-113 Office of Defense Programs
Research & Development
Jesse Corradi: NA-20 Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
Front Office
Elizabeth Davis: DOE-IN-15 Department of Energy
Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence
Jerry Davydov: NA-242 Office of Nuclear Smuggling
Detection and Deterrence
Jaci Dickerson: NA-26 Office of Material Management
and Minimization
Amber Donley: NA-22 Office of Defense Nuclear
Nonproliferation Research and Development
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
5
Classof2014-2015
5
12. Orientation and Career
Development
• U.S. Senate Committee on Intelligence Event
(December 2014). The full cohort of Fellows visited
Washington D.C. to meet with staffers of the U.S.
Senate Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). Fellows
were briefed by the NNSA Director of Legislative
Affairs, Jed D’Ercole, and then visited Capitol Hill for
a briefing with SSCI staffers, followed by a question
and answer session. The event was well received by
the Fellows as a learning and networking
opportunity that helped Fellows learn more about
career opportunities with the SSCI or within the
legislative branch.
“I found the event very helpful in narrowing my
future job search and career development plans
across the national security complex.”
— NGFP Fellow
• National Laboratory Roundtable (November
2014). Representatives from several DOE National
Laboratories joined the Fellows to briefly discuss
how their lab supports each of the NNSA missions
and mission support areas (Defense Programs,
Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, Infrastructure
and Nuclear Security, etc.) and the related career
opportunities offered at their lab. The event offered
Fellows a chance to gain a better understanding of
the specific missions of DOE National Laboratories,
in particular those in support of NNSA and national
security, and the opportunities that may exist in
technical, policy, and operational realms. In
addition, an open forum discussion allowed the
Fellows and the visiting professionals to get to know
each other and review questions about the future
of their labs and the future workforce they will
need to build the next generation of nuclear
security research and policy initiatives. The
roundtable was very well received, with Fellows
expressing appreciation for the balance in both
policy and technical perspectives that were shared.
The Class of 2014-2015 at a brownbag with Randall Hendrickson,
NNSA Associate Administrator for Management and Budget.
NGFP is committed to providing Fellows with ongoing
career development opportunities. Every year, Fellows
participate in an in-depth orientation as well as
conferences, career development seminars, and
networking events across the country. The agenda
continuously evolves to reflect NNSA’s mission needs
and Fellows’ feedback. Activities include insights into
careers in the intelligence community and at DOE
National Laboratories, a seminar dedicated to building
career skills, briefings with NNSA leadership, and
meetings with former NGFP Fellows.
The Class of 2014-2015 participated in the following
career development opportunities during their
assignments.
• Orientation (June 2014). The Fellows began their
fellowships with an in-depth orientation designed
to introduce them to NGFP, NNSA, and DOE, as
well as to their fellow classmates. Fellows spent six
days at PNNL in Richland, Washington, where they
completed employee training for working in the
federal government environment, in-depth NNSA
briefings, historical and technical tours, hands-on
demonstrations, social and networking events,
and a mock congressional hearing. Orientation
concluded with a day and a half at NNSA
Headquarters in Washington, D.C., before
Fellows deployed to their assignments.
• Leadership Brownbags (October 2014, March
2015). Throughout the year, Fellows are invited to
meet with NNSA leadership to learn more about
NNSA missions and professional growth
opportunities.
In October, Fellows convened in Washington,
D.C. (and via videoconference) to participate in
a brownbag seminar with Deputy Administrator
for DNN Anne Harrington. Her talk, as well as
questions from Fellows, focused on the
nonproliferation mission abroad, the future of
nuclear fuel recycling, and skills that program
managers are looking for in candidates applying
to various positions within DNN.
In March, Fellows reconvened in Washington
D.C. to attend a brownbag with Randall
Hendrickson, NNSA Associate Administrator for
Management and Budget, who shared insights
about NGFP and Fellows’ role in the nuclear security
community and answered Fellows’ questions.
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
6
13. Fellows visited Washington D.C. to meet with the U.S. Senate
Committee on Intelligence.
Fellows attended the National Laboratory Roundtable in
Washington, D.C.
• Career Skills Workshop (January 2015). The
annual Career Skills Workshop provided Fellows
practical guidance and best practices for applying
to positions after their fellowships. PNNL NGFP
Program Operations Lead Ryan Boscow led a 2-hour
presentation sharing advice for Fellows on how best
to pursue positions in the federal government and
the national laboratories. Fellows learned about
what to expect when applying for federal jobs,
resources for working with national laboratories
across the DOE system, general questions and
answers on federal positions, and the processes and
protocols for exiting the program. PNNL’s Director
of Talent Acquisition Rob Dromgoole also shared
tips and information for using LinkedIn and other
social networking tools to prepare for future career
searches and opportunities.
“The Career Skills Workshop was descriptive and
beneficial for informing me of procedures for
finishing up the fellowship and job hunting. The
use of social media to develop a contact list of
potential employers and cold calling them was
something I had not thought to do.”
— NGFP Fellow
• Alumni Forum (March 2015). NGFP hosted the
second annual NGFP Alumni Forum in Washington,
D.C. The event welcomed more than 70 current and
former Fellows plus a panel of speakers from the
nuclear security community. Honored guest
speakers included:
›› Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary for Arms
Control and International Security, Department
of State
›› Madelyn Creedon, NNSA Principal Deputy
Administrator
›› Randall Hendrickson, NNSA Associate
Administrator for Management and Budget
›› Tom D’Agostino, former NNSA Administrator
›› Cindy Lersten, NNSA Senior Advisor to the
Administrator
›› David Huizenga, NNSA Principal Assistant
Deputy Administrator.
“The Alumni Forum was a great event and it was
nice to see the other/past Fellows!”
— NGFP Fellow
• Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Visits (April
2015). Several Class of 2014-2015 Fellows visited
the Department of Homeland Security Domestic
Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) in Washington,
D.C., where they were briefed in operations
support, national technical nuclear forensics,
international cooperation programs, and the Joint
Analysis Center.
NGFP alumni Lauren Lafaro, Courtney Stewart, Claudio
Gariazzo, and Peter Sprunger hosted a panel discussion during
the second annual NGFP Alumni Forum.
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
7
Classof2014-2015
7
14. Fellowship Highlights
NGFP prepares and builds the next generation of leaders
in nuclear security, providing Fellows with hands-on
experience supporting NNSA mission areas across policy,
technology, and program management disciplines. The
following are highlights from Fellows’ assignments.
• Attended more than 100 roundtables/brownbags
as a group
• Attended 86 training courses
• Delivered 78 presentations to NNSA supervisors
and management
• Traveled to 21 states and 12 countries
• Co-authored papers that were briefed to the
President, an interagency working group report,
and multiple safety assessments
• Incorporated urgent changes into briefings for IAEA
general conference
• Created forensic samples for input into the
National Nuclear Forensics Library
• Presented at the 10th International Conference
on Methods and Applications of Radioanalytical
Chemistry
• Helped successfully host the Kenya Commodity
Identification Training
• Created a database for cost data and presented
it to senior leadership
• Contributed to the Stockpile Stewardship
Management Plan
• Briefed the Nuclear Material Advisory Board
• Helped launch the DNN Sentinel newsletter
• Drafted Implementing Arrangement with Ukraine
for cooperation in nuclear safeguards and security
• Wrote guidance for safeguards training instructors
on how to implement the Systematic Approach to
Training
“The tours of the different facilities were very
enlightening. It was awesome to be able to put
some of the equipment to the names that have
been discussed in the office. Seeing the facilities
and the broad range of capabilities at Oak Ridge
National Laboratory and Y-12 enables a good
perspective as to the successfulness of the lab.”
— NGFP Fellow
Fellows at the Nevada National Security Site, where they visited
the massive Sedan Crater among other stops on a tour of the site.
Fellows visited DOE National Laboratories across the country, including
the Advanced Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory.
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
8
15. Working cooperatively with U.S. organizations
and partner countries to advance nuclear security
goals worldwide
• Jerry Davydov headed his office’s efforts to develop
a robust framework for engaging national nuclear
forensic libraries, which will support future
outreach with several international partners.
• Hannah Lloyd was responsible for monitoring and
coordinating implementation of daily action items
from NNSA’s DNN Front Office and also supported
NA-24’s Regional Analysis and Engagement work
with countries in South Asia and South East Asia.
• Daniel Mingrone took an active role in his office’s
management of work in Thailand and Panama,
which included leading team calls, writing papers
and briefs, and making trip preparations.
• Brendan Reardon assisted with the Second Line of
Defense strategic review and, in consultation with
his supervisor, support budgetary and travel
requests, operations, and contract management.
• Jessica Wilbourne helped lead a regional workshop
in Cairo, Egypt for North African countries on
Quality Management Systems and Integrated
Management Systems for State Systems of
Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Materials.
Developing the capabilities, systems, and processes
key to nuclear security oversight
• Aaron Avrakotos helped implement a Mission
Dependency Index, a metric for assessing the
importance of infrastructure to the NNSA’s mission.
Aaron helped introduce and train strategic planners
at the Sandia National Laboratories in using the
index.
• Jaci Dickerson took primary responsibility for
distributing, tracking, and compiling input for
incoming taskers during the DNN reorganization.
• Cole Lillard built a database for the Office of
Defense Programs that had direct impact on the
success of programs’ Cost Improvement Initiative.
His work will make actual cost data available to the
whole Defense Programs community for future
acquisitions.
• Gabrielle Lyon drafted the additive manufacturing
(AM) 10-year strategic plan for Congress. This work
included developing AM presentation visuals and
roadmap and touring AM labs and production
areas.
• Kaylyn Peters was critical in developing and
implementing a new planning system to transform
NNSA from a network of eight maintenance and
operations partners into a single enterprise that
plans and manages its infrastructure as a single
entity.
• Matthew Proveaux produced cost estimates for
lifetime extension plans for the Stockpile
Stewardship Management Plan
• Shannon Stacy was an intricate part of the rollout
of state-of-the-art Nuclear Materials Information
Program software.
• Willie Ward III executed a Defense Program
Human Resource (HR) Management Initiative.
This effort had high leadership visibility with
expectations to deliver a comprehensive report
with supporting data-driven, achievable
recommendations. His contribution resulted
in the adoption and institutionalization of new
NNSA strategies for HR optimization.
Conducting security and technical analyses essential
for U.S. government decision making
• Jordan Arnswald was a lead budget analyst,
performing budget execution activities for
the Nuclear Nonproliferation programs,
Counterproliferation and Counterterrorism, DOE
Office of Science, and Energy programs. She drafted
the FY 2015 Continuing Resolution Memo that was
sent to all NNSA customers.
• Amber Donley was a part of the DNN R&D
representatives reviewing funded projects at the
Nuclear Forensics Program Review.
Miriam D’Onofrio joined the DOE/NNSA team in Chengdu,
China. Representatives from DOE/NNSA’s Office of International
Material Protection and Cooperation met with Chinese
counterparts to discuss progress on the joint development
of China’s first Nuclear Security Center of Excellence.
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
9
Classof2014-2015
9
16. • Heather Seipel worked with a team of technical
advisors within the NA-22 Office of DNN R&D
to draft the expected template for a guiding
programmatic document for large-scale office
projects. These documents will define the high-
level research goals and scope for a number of
multi-year, large-scale, multi-lab efforts supported
through the NA-22 Office.
• Daniel Westlake supported the management of
the high-visibility Enriched Uranium Strategy and
the Uranium Processing Facility for the NNSA.
Advancing careers through unique development
opportunities
• Anagha Iyengar participated in the Advanced
Non-Destructive Assay training course at Los Alamos
National Laboratory. The training provided an
in-depth and comprehensive instruction in non-
destructive assay techniques to increase confidence
that member states are complying with the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty and familiarized students
with multiplicity counting methods.
• Kaylyn McCoy completed a rotational assignment
supporting the Los Alamos Site Office with Nuclear
Maintenance Assessments and the Nevada Field
Office with a Documented Safety Analysis
Annual Update.
• Nicholas Quintero supported the Office of Nuclear
Forensics during an exercise at the Nevada National
Security Site. Nicholas participated as the Lead
Evaluator for NA-45 Office of Technical Nuclear
Forensics during exercises.
• Juan-Antonio Vigil attended the B61 Lifetime
Extension Plan Quarterly Program Review in
Washington D.C, with Dr. Donald Cook and several
other high-level NNSA and Department of
Defense managers.
• Kristen Peters traveled to Bucharest, Romania to
participate in the 2015 European Research Reactor
Conference, an annual event that explores the latest
global developments with regards to research
reactor technology and management.
Supporting major international engagements
and relationships
• Jesse Corradi attended three international trips
with two different offices, gaining exposure to
program-level implementation of DNN’s mission
scope and work.
• Miriam D’Onofrio organized logistics for two-day
meetings held with Russian counterparts for
Rosatom in Moscow, Russian Federation.
• Savannah Fitzwater served as a Program
Integration Specialist, leading the organization of
the 2015 Mo-99 Topical Meeting, which brings
together 200 participants from 15 countries and
two international organizations, and spans multiple
professional sectors.
• Jeffrey Fox participated as one of the headquarters
members on the DNN Cyber Task Force, which will
provide recommendations to NNSA senior
leadership on how DNN programs can better
address cyber security threats related to
nonproliferation and nuclear security.
• Adam Hoffman represented the DOE at the
Emerging Technology Research Advisory Committee
spring meeting. The committee advises Commerce
on issues at the intersection of emerging technology
and export controls.
• Malika Taalbi coordinated planning and logistics
for an alternative technology working group,
multiple international workshops, and the
Domestic and International Lessons Learned
Workshop.
Preparing materials for high-level conferences,
publications, summits, and international meetings
• Staci Brown assisted with organizing the agenda
and opening remarks for the Enhanced Capabilities
for Sub-Critical Experiments meeting in Nevada.
• Elizabeth Davis co-authored an intelligence report
with members of the State Department’s Bureau of
Intelligence and Research. She also wrote weekly
intelligence briefings and Economic Intelligence
Briefs for cabinet-level government officials.
• Paul Holland wrote an article for the Asia
Pacific Defense FORUM magazine on behalf
of International Nonproliferation Export
Control Program.
• Matthew MacDougall developed special nuclear
material information products and presented his
work at the Material Control and Accountability
Implementation Panel meeting.
• Daniel Sharp drafted NA-12 briefings for Air Force
Sync management and general officers. The briefing
was well received by the senior military officers.
• Nicholas Wondra assisted with the Office of
Nuclear Energy (Office of International Policy &
Cooperation) Program Plan and briefing materials,
including finalizing copy and writing the
conclusion.
Classof2014-2015
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17. Where They Are Now
Class of 2014-2015
NGFP alumni are highly sought after by employers in
the nuclear security community. After completing their
assignments, many Fellows from the Class of 2014-2015
accepted positions where they continue to support the
global security mission within government, industry,
private sector, or academia. The list below indicates the
latest status of Fellows as of the summer of 2015.
Jordan Arnswald Physical Scientist, NNSA Los Alamos Field Office
Aaron Avrakotos Placement not available at the time of publication
Staci Brown Physical Scientist, NNSA Office of Defense Programs R&D
Jesse Corradi Foreign Affairs Specialist, NNSA Office of Material Management and Minimization
Elizabeth Davis Intelligence Research Specialist, DOE Europe/Former Soviet Union, Energy Security Division
Jerry Davydov Nonproliferation Specialist, Culmen International, Inc.
Jaci Dickerson Foreign Affairs Specialist, NNSA
Amber Donley Chemist, Exelon Nuclear
Miriam D’Onofrio Foreign Affairs Specialist, NNSA
Savannah Fitzwater General Engineer, NNSA Infrastructure Planning and Analysis
Jeffrey Fox Management Analyst, Delta Research Associates
Adam Hoffman Export Control and Interdiction Analyst, NNSA Office of Nuclear Controls
Paul Holland Program Analyst, NNSA Los Alamost site office
Anagha Iyengar Program Analyst/Contractor, MELE Associates, Inc.
Cole Lillard General Engineer/Operations Research Analyst, NNSA Office of Cost Policy and Analysis
Hannah Lloyd Specialist, NNSA Office of Global Material Security
Gabrielle Lyon Specialist, PNNL
Matthew MacDougall Post Masters Research Assistant, PNNL, Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Program
Kaylyn McCoy Post Masters Research Assistant, PNNL
Daniel Mingrone Specialist, Culmen International through Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Kristen Peters Specialist, NNSA Office of Material Management and Minimization
Kaylyn Peters Program Analyst, NNSA Office of Infrastructure Planning and Analysis
Matthew Proveaux General Engineer, NNSA Defense Programs’ Office of Cost Policy and Analysis
Nicholas Quintero General Engineer, NNSA Office of Nuclear Material Operations
Brendan Reardon Presidential Management Fellow, Department of Defense
Heather Seipel R&D S&E Nuclear Engineer, Sandia National Laboratories
Daniel Sharp Military leave
Shannon Stacy Program Management Analyst II, NNSA
Malika Taalbi Specialist, MELE Associates, Inc.
Juan-Antonio Vigil Program Engineer, NNSA
Willie Ward III Budget Analyst, NNSA Office of Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation
Daniel Westlake Program Analyst, NNSA Science and Manufacturing
Jessica Wilbourne Program Analyst, NNSA International Nuclear Safeguards Engagement Program
Nicholas Wondra Energy Analyst, NNSA
Nearly 60% of Fellows from the Class of
2014-2015 accepted offers as NNSA federal
employees, and 82% are working across the
NNSA/DOE complex.
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
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Classof2014-2015
11
18. Administrator on
strategic and
operational issues
across the NSA. After
their fellowships, Leah
and Alan accepted
positions as Foreign
Affairs Specialists in the NNSA Office of Counterterrorism
and Counterproliferation and the NNSA Office of Defense
Programs, respectively.
Leah Cochran and Alan Cunningham,
Class of 2013-2014
Leah Cochran and Alan Cunningham, both the Class of
2013-2014, recently completed a one-year assignment
working in the NNSA Office of the Administrator as the
inaugural Administrator’s Action Group (AAG). Formed by
NNSA Under Secretary for Nuclear Security Lieutenant
General Frank G. Klotz (ret.), the AAG operates in a fast-
paced environment performing an array of tasks for
supporting both the Administrator and Principal Deputy
Alumni Spotlight
NGFP alumni now total more than 310 professionals, many of whom have risen to positions of leadership. Below we
highlight several alumni who have built upon their NGFP experience to deliver significant impact to the nuclear
security enterprise.
for her paper and presentation on a “Simulation Study
for Detection of Pin Diversion with the Differential
Die-Away Instrument using Fresh Fuel.” Alison is a
graduate student in Texas A&M University’s Nuclear
Engineering Department. She works full-time pursuing
research on a variety of safeguards projects in the
Nuclear Engineering and Nonproliferation group at
Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Alison Goodsell,
Class of 2012-2013
At the 56th Institute of Nuclear
Materials Management Meeting in
July 2015, former NGFP Fellow
Alison Goodsell, Class of 2012-2013,
won first place for the J.D. Williams Student Paper Award
as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Administrator for
DNN for two years. Alex also served for five years as
part of DOE/NNSA’s International Nuclear Safeguards
and Engagement Program—first as a Nonproliferation
Graduate Fellow, then as a project manager, and lastly
as team leader.
“There is no better way to start a career in the
United States Government in the area of nuclear
nonproliferation than the NGFP program,”
— said Alex
Alex Sunshine,
Class of 2006-2007
Since his fellowship in the Class
of 2006-2007, Alex Sunshine has
served in a range of positions
supporting the nuclear security and
nonproliferation missions. Alex has served as an Energy
Attaché at the U.S. Mission to International Organizations
in Vienna. In this position, Alex is responsible for
facilitating DOE/NNSA’s support to the IAEA in the
area of safeguards and monitoring and reporting on
developments in the implementation of the IAEA
safeguards system. Prior to this position, Alex served
Melissa Einwechter (née Scholz), Class of 2008-2009
Melissa Einwechter, Class of 2008-2009, received the 2014 Linton F. Brooks Medal for
Dedication to Public Service. The medal recognizes early career employees who exemplify
the spirit of public service commitment. Melissa works as a Foreign Affairs Specialist
assigned to Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation’s Office of Nuclear Safeguards. She is the
third former NGFP Fellow to win this award.
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
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19. Appendix:
Class of 2014-2015
Biographies
The Class of 2014-2015 came into their fellow
ships with impressive, wide-ranging credentials
and previous experience.
Photo: (front table, left to right) Brendan Reardon,
Kristen Peters, Nicholas Wondra, Kaylyn McCoy,
Jaci Dickerson, Matthew MacDougall, Nicholas
Quintero, Daniel Sharp, Willie Ward III.
20. The Class of 2014-2015 at the closing ceremony in Washington, D.C. with NGFP Program Manager Heidi Hamling, NNSA Senior
Advisor to the Administrator Cindy Lersten, and NNSA Associate Administrator for Management and Budget Randall Hendrickson.
21. Appendix
Class of 2014-2015 Biographies
Jordan Arnswald
NA-MB-53: Office of Site & Program Support
Albuquerque, NM
Nearing the completion of her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in political
science at California State University, San Bernardino, Jordan Arnswald took a national
security course that inspired her to switch tracks for her graduate studies. After
obtaining her bachelor’s degree in 2010, she applied to the university’s master’s
program in national security studies, graduating in 2012 with a faculty-nominated
award for excellence and contribution to the goals of the program.
Jordan’s graduate studies included a special focus on intelligence and weapons of mass destruction, and she was
selected for the National Security Analysis and Intelligence Summer 2012 Seminar in Washington, D.C., sponsored
by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Coinciding with her graduate studies, Jordan started at entry level with Lewis Operating Corporation, a property
development and management firm, where she soon became a business manager and community director. Her
leadership duties included overseeing finances, resolving customer issues, and training and developing staff while
maintaining award-winning customer service and increasing sales and revenue.
Aaron Avrakotos
NA-00-20: Office of Safety, Infrastructure & Operations
Washington, DC
After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in political science at Rice University in 2007,
Aaron Avrakotos applied his academic interest by participating in a number of
congressional and municipal political campaigns. His various roles included
building and managing volunteer networks in multiple campaigns; assisting with
fundraising management, research, and donor contacts; and developing strategic
communications. Aaron also worked as an intern at a public opinion and strategy
firm in 2011 where his work included conducting research on policy issues, political groups, and candidates.
Aaron went on to study economics, econometrics, international trade and affairs, tax policy, and policy analysis
at the University of Michigan, where he completed his master’s degree in applied economics in 2014. He has
intermediate fluency in French.
Aaron first gained NNSA work experience as a summer intern at the NA-00.2 (Field Integration Office) in 2013. Under
the direction of the lead program analyst/engineer, he worked on a three-person team charged with developing
and implementing the NNSA’s Corporate Performance Evaluation Process—the agency-wide process for assessing
the performance of the contractors that manage and operate nuclear research laboratories and production sites
across the country. Aaron applied versatile technology and communication skills to create and manage instructional
materials, web resources, process changes, and communications.
* Note: Office listed reflect offices into which Fellows were originally hired, not subsequent reorganizations.
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22. Staci Brown
NA-113: Office of Defense Programs Research & Development
Washington, DC
Staci Brown followed her physics degree from Florida A&M University in 2006 with her
master’s degree studies in physics, completed in 2009 at Rutgers University. She returned
to Florida A&M where she completed a doctorate degree in physics in May of 2015. Staci
was one of 50 outstanding undergraduate students chosen from across the country to
participate in the faculty-mentored Research in Science and Engineering program at
Rutgers in 2004.
From 2005 through 2007, she worked as a summer intern at Corning, Inc., where she investigated the damage
thresholds for silica, among other materials science research. During her master’s program at Rutgers, Staci conducted
research under two separate traineeships from the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and
Traineeship program in 2007 through 2009. Her studies focused on patterning biomolecules to investigate cell
behavior, as well as differentiation of stem cells to support the regenerative treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Staci has also worked as a 2012 summer intern in the Plasma Physics Division of the Naval Research Laboratory, where
she surveyed the composition and monitored the evolution of underwater plasma generated from high-powered
pulsed lasers using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). This work was conducted to improve naval
communications and other maritime applications. In her doctoral research at Florida A&M, Staci applied the same
analysis technology toward the study of organic materials and isotope-enriched materials in order to develop LIBS as a
stand-off detection method for explosives and to determine the relative abundance of enriched materials for
nonproliferation applications. Staci has been a mentor within the Florida-Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance Minority
Program to support minorities pursuing STEM careers. More recently, Staci accepted a federal position as a physical
scientist in NNSA’s Office of Defense Programs R&D upon completion of her fellowship.
Jesse Corradi
NA-20: Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Front Office
Washington, DC
Jesse Corradi graduated from Amherst College in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in political
science. In alignment with his keen interest in foreign policy and nuclear security, Jesse
obtained his master’s degree in international affairs with a focus on international security
policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in 2014.
As a Fulbright Fellow in Hong Kong from 2009 through 2010, Jesse gained international
perspective working as an English teaching assistant for the Hong Kong Institute of Education. During the same period,
Jesse researched and published two articles on U.S. climate policy and the related process of U.S. policymaking and
legislative ratification. He produced these articles as a contributing writer to Civic Exchange, an independent Hong Kong
think tank for public policy. Jesse has intermediate knowledge of Spanish and basic knowledge of Mandarin.
In the summer of 2013, Jesse worked for the foreign policy and national security team in the office of U.S. Senator
Richard Durbin as a graduate intern. Here, he researched and composed memoranda on foreign policy and national
security topics for senior aides, regularly briefed national security and foreign policy advisors, and prepared a research
report on the military’s electronic health record system. Jesse also wrote a report on the weapons programs of defense
contractors participating in the Paris Air Show and analyzed the FY 2013 defense-wide procurement budget as a
graduate intern for the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee staff. During the spring of 2014, Jesse served on the China
desk at the U.S. Department of State where he helped facilitate the confirmation of Ambassador Max Baucus and
worked on nonproliferation-related cases.
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NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
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23. Elizabeth Davis
DOE-IN-15: Department of Energy Office of Intelligence
and Counterintelligence
Washington, DC
Elizabeth Davis graduated from George Washington University in 2008 with a
bachelor’s degree in international affairs. She pursued the same topic in her graduate
studies at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service,
finishing her master’s degree in 2014 with concentrations in China studies and in
intelligence as an instrument of statecraft.
Elizabeth has an advanced proficiency in Russian and has spent two years in Russia: one year as an English
language teacher for the Language Link provider of language services in 2008–2009, and one year studying Russian
at Moscow State University in 2013 as a Boren Fellow under the National Security Education Program.
As a graduate assistant researcher at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute in 2012, Elizabeth researched lessons
learned from foreign natural gas vehicle programs and suggested ways to apply those lessons toward the Texas
natural gas vehicle initiative. Elizabeth’s graduate research entailed working with a team of students to create a
desk reference guide for the U.S. military.
Jerry Davydov
NA-242: Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection
and Deterrence
Washington, DC
Jerry Davydov majored in nonproliferation and terrorism studies at the Middlebury
Institute of International Studies (MIIS) at Monterey, completing his master’s degree
in 2013, three years after getting his bachelor’s degree in history from Ithaca College.
He is a heritage speaker of Russian and also has intermediate language proficiency
in German.
In 2012, Jerry worked for the IAEA in Vienna as an intern in the Division of Public Information and as a research
assistant for the Islam, Islamism, and Politics in Eurasia Report. In the former role, his job included articulating
the agency’s messages for multiple public information channels and researching and analyzing the agency’s role
in dealing with global nonproliferation. Jerry also provided communications support for events such as the
2012 Preparatory Committee Meeting for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the 2012 IAEA General Conference, IAEA Board of Governors meetings,
and IAEA Director General press briefings.
As a graduate research assistant working at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) in 2013, Jerry
researched a host of topics, including U.S.-Russian arms control, nuclear and radiological trafficking, strategic trade
controls, and illicit weapons procurement networks. Following his graduation from MIIS, Jerry worked as a Next
Generation Safeguards Policy intern and later as a collaborator in the Visiting Scientist Program at Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, where he assisted in the ongoing development of national nuclear forensics
libraries under the guidance of the NNSA’s Office of Nuclear Controls, Confidence Building Measures Program.
Most recently, as a research associate in the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at CNS, he worked on a number of
issues related to Eurasia, including U.S.-Russian arms control, Russian nuclear stockpile modernization, and global
nuclear and radiological trafficking trends. In addition to his research role, Jerry developed a number for eLearning
modules for the European Union Centres of Excellence and authored a number of publications.
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
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Classof2014-2015
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24. Jaci Dickerson
NA-26: Office of Material Management and Minimization
Washington, DC
Jaci Dickerson obtained her bachelor’s degree in political science with a Spanish minor
at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2008. She completed her master’s degree
in public policy from George Washington University in 2014 with a focus on national
security. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public policy and public administration at
George Washington University with a concentration in science and technology policy.
As an undergraduate research assistant at the John P. Murtha Institute for Homeland Security, Jaci coordinated
research and administration for an institute roundtable on cyber security and counterterrorism, assisting with
preparation of the resulting white paper.
Jaci capped her undergraduate research on the evolution of Presidential power by presenting a novel theory of
executive power at the 2008 conference of the National Social Science Association. Insights from this research
resulted in changes to the university’s course on American Presidency, which now includes a presentation of the
research as a permanent module.
Beginning in 2010, Jaci worked as an executive assistant to Mack McLarty, chairman of McLarty Associates, an
international strategic advisory firm. Her duties included managing the flow of correspondence and activity in
the office, as well as coordination of outreach and support efforts for the Vital Voices Global Partnership in their
mission to empower extraordinary women around the world.
Amber Donley
NA-22: Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research
and Development
Washington, DC
Amber Donley followed up her bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering at the
University of Michigan by completing her Ph.D. in chemistry at Washington State
University in 2014.
With a 2010 scholarship at Washington State’s Nuclear Radiation Center, Amber trained
as a reactor operator and was licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2011 as a reactor operator at the
university’s 1-megawatt nuclear research reactor. While conducting her graduate research in lanthanide solution
chemistry, she also taught undergraduate reactor operations as a teaching assistant.
In 2012, Amber applied her background in analytical/radiochemistry and nuclear forensics as a graduate student
consultant to the IAEA in Vienna. She collaborated with agency staff to test provisions of the agency’s proposed
implementing guide for Development of a National Nuclear Forensics Library, evaluating the usability of the guidance
by member states. In 2013 Amber was a key presenter at an agency meeting with the member states in support of the
Nuclear Security Series guidance document.
Miriam D’Onofrio
NA-25: Office of Global Material Security
Washington, DC
Miriam’s interest in international affairs led her to the Johns Hopkins University, where
she completed an accelerated, five-year bachelor’s/master’s program through the
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). In 2013, she received a
Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies and East Asian studies. While at Johns
Hopkins, Miriam received the Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
Classof2014-2015
NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program Annual Report
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25. Her research project compared the cult of personality and how it has shaped contemporary culture within post-
socialist societies in the former Yugoslavia, the Russian Federation, and the People’s Republic of China. In 2014, she
moved on to SAIS in Washington D.C., where she earned a Master of Arts degree in international economics and
Russian and Eurasian studies.
Miriam has spent significant time both studying and working overseas. In 2011, she attended a six-week program on
the topic of Contemporary Russia at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. In the summer of 2013, Miriam
worked for two months in Zagreb, Croatia as a European Union Integration Research Intern for Vlahovic Group, a
government relations and lobbying firm that consults with European investors on Croatian acquisition processes
and resources. While pursuing her graduate degree, Miriam also interned at the Political and Security Affairs
branch of the National Bureau of Asian Research, where she researched and wrote materials for the bureau’s
annual publication, Strategic Asia 2013-14: Asia in the Second Nuclear Age.
Miriam graduated from an international high school in Qingdao, China. She speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese
and has intermediate language proficiency in Russian.
Savannah Fitzwater
NA-213: Office of Conversion
Washington, DC
While completing her bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering at Missouri University
of Science and Technology, Savannah Fitzwater discovered her interest in
nonproliferation, international security, and arms control. She simultaneously pursued
a master’s of nuclear engineering and a master’s of international political economy of
resources from Colorado School of Mines (CSM), completing both in 2015. While
attending CSM, her research focused on modeling the impact of measurement
uncertainty on safeguards assessments, investigating the factors that influence states’ nuclear weapons decision-
making, and renewable energy technology development in West African states. Savannah also published
co-authored chapters in Engineering Identities, Epistemologies and Values: Engineering Education and Practice in
Context and in American Political Culture: An Encyclopedia.
Throughout her undergraduate and graduate coursework, Savannah worked in several capacities at Idaho National
Laboratory. As a summer fellow at the Center for Space Nuclear Research and then operations intern at the
Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), Savannah researched and compared reactor facilities for irradiation and materials
testing for NASA and trained in the ATR Control Room Simulator. In her most recent role as a nuclear
nonproliferation intern, funded by the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative, Savannah helped develop training for
future IAEA inspectors and a new nuclear safeguards laboratory space.
Savannah has been active in professional societies and organizations to expand her perspective on challenges
broadly facing the nuclear field. As an undergraduate, she founded a Women in Nuclear chapter at her university
and has since served on various committees for U.S. Women in Nuclear, including currently serving on the U.S.
Women in Nuclear Steering Committee. Savannah was a delegate with the 2012 Nuclear Engineering Student
Delegation to Washington, D.C., and continued to supplement her education and experience with opportunities
such as Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization educational conferences and the IAEA Pre-Inspector Training
Course hosted by the Idaho National Laboratory.
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26. Jeffrey Fox
NA-241: Office of International Nuclear Safeguards
Washington, DC
While earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and physics from Duke
University, Jeffrey Fox worked as a research assistant at Triangle Universities Nuclear
Laboratory and as an intern for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
In the latter role, Jeffrey helped to create a database of nuclear weapons and
nonproliferation policy analysis from government, academic, and think tank reports.
After graduation, he worked for two years as a research assistant at the Institute for
Defense Analysis where he researched nuclear weapons technologies, costs, and policy issues to help inform federal
budget decisions. In separate studies, he helped analyze the Administration’s proposals for missile defense in
Europe and the continental United States.
In 2012, he enrolled at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies where he received
a master’s degree in strategic studies and international economics. During his graduate coursework, Jeffery
completed two internships at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs.
There he worked on a number of nuclear proliferation issues, including development of the “Nuclear Weapons
States’ P5 Glossary of Nuclear Terms” to be presented at the 2015 Review Conference of the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Jeffrey engaged in senior-level interagency meetings and built a database of
analysis detailing the positions held by other countries on issues related to NPT that supported discussions leading
up to the 2014 NPT Preparatory Committee conference. In addition to his academic and professional experience,
Jeffrey was a member of the research staff for the SAIS Staff Ride to the Battle of Gettysburg in the fall of 2013
and a participant in Center for Strategic and International Studies Project on Nuclear Issues’ Nuclear Scholars
Initiative. He has studied Arabic and Spanish.
Adam Hoffman
NA-242: Office of Nuclear Controls
(Export Control Review and Compliance)
Washington, DC
After completing his bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering at Texas A&M University
in 2006, Adam Hoffman started his career at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s
(NRC) Nuclear Safety Professional Development Program. At the NRC, Adam had the
opportunity to immerse himself in a range of nuclear reactor safety issues, including
licensing, severe-accident dose assessment, spent-fuel management, and reactor
inspections. This experience led to his keen interest in the complexity of nuclear systems and their potential
vulnerabilities.
At the University of Michigan, Adam completed his doctorate in nuclear engineering and radiological science in
2013, working in the field of reactor physics with applications in the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear safety. As a
research assistant at Argonne National Laboratory in summer 2010, Adam modeled the reactor physics of ultra-high
burn-up fuel to investigate the potential for enhancing uranium utilization while avoiding associated proliferation
risks of reprocessing.
Adam augmented his technical coursework by completing two nuclear policy summer programs: the Nuclear
Nonproliferation, Safeguards, and Security course at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Public Policy and
Nuclear Threats course at the University of California, San Diego. In 2014, prior to the NGFP. Adam completed a
science policy internship at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the Center for Science,
Technology, and Security Policy where he worked on nuclear nonproliferation issues and a science prediction
market tool.
Adam plans to continue to work at the intersection of nuclear technology and nonproliferation policy in an
interdisciplinary environment.
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27. Paul Holland
NA-242: Office of Nuclear Controls
(International Nonproliferation Export Control Program)
Washington, DC
As the first member of his family to earn a college degree, Paul Holland graduated
at the top of his class from Trinity College in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in
political science and classical antiquity. During his senior year, Paul was awarded
the 2012 Trinity Presidential Fellowship in Political Science. He then attended the
School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University where he
graduated in 2014 with a master’s degree in international affairs with an emphasis in international security
policy and East Asia.
During his graduate coursework, Paul was awarded a fellowship to serve as a research assistant at SIPA’s Arnold
A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, where he examined U.S. intelligence capabilities related to
locating nuclear weapons. Paul conducted research on a wide range of topics, including nuclear weapons
technology and proliferation, drone technology, cyber warfare, and low-intensity conflicts. He also co-authored a
research proposal entitled “New Confucianism and the East Asian Renaissance” and was selected to present his
research at the 2012 Global Policy Network Conference in Singapore.
Previously, Paul served as a legislative assistant to Senator Thomas Colapietro on the General Law Committee of
the Connecticut General Assembly, where he conducted research on proposed legislation and developed an
understanding of the legislative process. Inspired by his father’s service in the U.S. Air Force, Paul intends to
serve his country through his work in international nuclear security policy.
Anagha Iyengar
NA-241: Office of International Nuclear Safeguards
(Safeguards Technology)
Washington, DC
Anagha Iyengar completed her Bachelor of Science degree in nuclear engineering at
the University of California, Berkeley, in 2012, followed by a Master of Science in
nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), in 2013.
During her undergraduate career, Anagha completed two internships with the Next
Generation Safeguards Initiative, one at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in
2010 and another at Sandia National Laboratories in 2011. She also completed a research assistantship at the
University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, Anagha led a study that applied nuclear forensics methodology to
investigate beta-delayed gamma rays from fast fission for post-detonation applications, the findings of which
were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics-B.
At UTK, she received the Nuclear Security Science and Analysis Graduate Certificate along with her degree
recognizing her accomplishments in research and coursework. She is a member of the Alpha Nu Sigma National
Honor Society for Nuclear Science and Engineering. Her graduate studies were conducted in collaboration with
the Nuclear Materials Detection and Characterization Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where she
contributed toward advancements in the mobile detection of shielded nuclear material. Her research findings
were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics-A. Longer term, Anagha
plans to align her technical expertise in nuclear safeguards and proliferation detection with policy
efforts aimed at controlling and protecting nuclear materials.
Anagha was selected to participate in the 2013 Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation in Washington, D.C.,
where she and her team met with officials from the DOE, the Department of State, the NRC, and Congress
to advocate for sustained support of nuclear engineering education. She was subsequently selected as a
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28. co-vice chair of the 2014 delegation. In 2015, Anagha was selected as a finalist in the competitive Presidential
Management Fellows Program. Anagha is also active in the American Nuclear Society, where is a member of
the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division Program Support Committee and the Institute for Nuclear
Materials Management.
Cole Lillard
NA-143: Office of Cost Policy and Analysis
Washington, DC
Cole earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering physics from the University of
Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in 2011. While there, he completed a Department of
Homeland Security internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where he began to
develop his interest in nuclear security. He went on to serve as a research assistant in
the university’s nuclear engineering department, working in radiation detection and
measurement. This work established Cole as a contributor to a publication in the Journal of Radioanalytical and
Nuclear Chemistry.
In 2012, Cole completed his master’s degree in nuclear engineering and earned a graduate certificate in nuclear
security science and analysis, also from UTK. While completing his master’s degree, he worked as a graduate research
assistant at the Y-12 National Security Complex researching nondestructive assay techniques for enrichment
verification of nuclear materials. Upon completion of his graduate degree, Cole accepted a position as a scientist
at the Pantex plant where he performed high explosives testing and analysis.
Cole was an active member of UTK’s Institute of Nuclear Materials Management chapter, having presented his master’s
research at their 2012 conference. Also while at UTK, Cole was awarded the Chancellor’s Honor for Extraordinary
Academic Achievement, an Outstanding First Year Physics Student Award, and the Douglas V. Roseberry Award for
his dedication and excellence in the field of physics. He was a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society
and the Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society.
Hannah Lloyd
NA-24: Nonproliferation and Arms Control Front Office
Washington, DC
Hannah Lloyd obtained a bachelor’s degree in African and African American studies
from Washington University in 2009, following which she worked as a congressional
intern for Congressman Russ Carnahan. Hannah also served as a staff assistant at the
U.S. Armed Services Committee before returning to academia. Hannah completed her
master’s degree in international security from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign
Service at Georgetown University in spring of 2014.
During her time as a congressional intern, Hannah drafted opening statements that were presented to a number of
committees, including the Foreign Affairs Committee, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the
Science, Space, and Technology Committee. Subsequent to this experience, Hannah served nearly three years
working for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee at the U.S. Armed Services in Washington, D.C. There, she assisted in
preparing a variety of hearings and briefings as well as Committee markup, Senate floor debate, and preparing a
House-Senate conference that contributed to the annual National Defense Authorization Act. She also played a key
role in consideration and debate on ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
During her graduate coursework, Hannah served as an intern at the U.S. Department of Defense. In this capacity,
she supported the Office of Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy within the Office of Global Strategic Affairs and
gained policy experience by drafting congressional testimony for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global
Strategic Affairs. She also provided research assistance on nuclear weapons, extended deterrence and arms control,
and became familiar with the priorities and goals that dictate U.S. nuclear weapons and deterrence policies.
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29. Gabrielle Lyon
NA-142: Office of Budgeting, Performance,
and Decision Support
Washington, DC
Gabrielle Lyon completed her master’s degree in engineering management from
George Washington University where her studies centered on crisis, emergency, and
risk management. Before that, she earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from the
University of Colorado. Shaped by her studies and experience, Gabrielle’s career goals
are focused on applying her security management expertise toward managing nuclear assets.
During graduate school, Gabrielle worked full time in the private sector. She started as an intern in 2010 and then
became a staff security analyst in corporate security at Accenture Corporate Services in Washington, D.C., where she
conducted risk assessments to analyze potential threats to projects, events, and business operations. While there,
she also developed evacuation plans for high-risk locations and gained real-time experience during the 2011
Japanese earthquake, tsunami, and resulting Fukushima consequences when she was responsible for mapping
assets, tracking the spread of radiological material, and advising senior management of employees’ vulnerability. In
2013, Gabrielle joined Fannie Mae contractor G4S Security Solutions as an emergency management specialist,
designing and conducting continuity of operations tabletop exercises for managers and crisis management teams.
In addition to her studies and professional experience, Gabrielle was instrumental in the start-up of the George
Washington University Student Chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers, of which she
became an active officer on the board, planning projects and coordinating events. She also belongs to the American
Society for Industrial Security and is an American Red Cross disaster services volunteer. Gabrielle has studied French
and Arabic and is fluent in Spanish.
Matthew MacDougall
NA-532: Office of Nuclear Material Operations
Washington, DC
A Ph.D. candidate at Oregon State University (OSU), Matthew MacDougall focused his
undergraduate studies on advanced radiation detection methods for applications in
nonproliferation and safeguards. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree in
nuclear engineering from OSU in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Throughout his graduate
coursework, Matthew focused his work in the detection of Radioxenon for
proliferation applications.
During the summer of 2012, Matthew participated in the Washington Internship for Students of Engineering,
spending 10 weeks in Washington, D.C., investigating spent nuclear fuel policy. This experience greatly piqued
Matthew’s interest in the issue of proliferation. The following year, Matthew began an internship in the Radiation
Detection and Nuclear Science Division at PNNL where he worked on several projects such as an experiment to
model an underground nuclear weapons test event. Matthew was responsible for interacting with various detection
types and comparing their capabilities to best model the data from the experiment.
Complementing his education and work experience, Matthew is a student member of the American Nuclear Society,
Healthy Physics Society, North American Young Generation in Nuclear, and Nuclear Advocacy Network. Additionally,
Matthew is a member of the American Nuclear Society’s Honor Society, Alpha Nu Sigma, and he received the
Institute of Nuclear Power Operations fellowship in 2013. He has also studied Spanish and Russian.
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30. Kaylyn McCoy
NA-SH: Office of Safety and Health
Albuquerque, NM
NA-LA: National Security Missions
Los Alamos, NM
Kaylyn McCoy earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2011 at Southern
Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. After gaining work experience in both public-
and private-sector projects, she enrolled in the University of Utah’s nuclear
engineering doctoral program in 2012 as a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
fellowship recipient and completed the master’s degree portion of the program in 2014.
Kaylyn holds a master electrician license in Texas and has been project superintendent for commercial/industrial
electrical construction for TD Industries and project manager for MetalMan Design Build in Dallas. As an SMU civil
engineering intern, she assisted with the Dallas County Wastewater Collection Design Project. She also served as
technical writer for the University of Utah nuclear engineering program.
As an engineering consultant for C. Faulkner Engineering of Austin, Texas, Kaylyn worked on the Department of
Homeland Security’s Tactical Communications Modernization project to enhance secure radio communications for
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol personnel in the El Paso Sector. Her work on this project led her to enroll in the
doctoral program at the University of Utah to eventually focus on security and monitoring. She has studied
French, German, and Spanish.
Dan Mingrone
NA-256: Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection
and Deterrence
Washington, DC
Dan Mingrone completed his master’s degree at the Fletcher School of Law and
Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he focused on international security studies
and East Asia. While earning his master’s degree, Dan was awarded the Robertson
Foundation for Government Fellowship and the Rosenthal Fellowship in
International Affairs.
Through the Rosenthal Fellowship, Dan spent a summer working for the U.S. Department of Defense in the Office of
the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. In this capacity, he played a key role in preparing the Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for a regional security dialogue between the U.S. and Japan by writing background memos and
talking points on U.S. and Russia relations vis-à-vis East Asia. Similarly, Dan was instrumental in supporting a visit by
the Russian Defense Minister, preparing background materials and memos for the Secretary of Defense, and
working directly with interagency partners and Russian Embassy officials to coordinate the meeting.
Previously, Dan received an undergraduate degree from McGill University where he majored in psychology and
minored in East Asian studies. He also studied abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea and became
proficient in speaking Korean. After completing his undergraduate degree, Dan worked on the campaign for the
current Attorney General of Connecticut, as well as for a government relations firm in Hartford, Connecticut.
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31. Kaylyn Peters
NA-521: Office of Safety, Infrastructure & Operations
Albuquerque, NM
Kaylyn Peters graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico,
both in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree and in 2013 with a master of business
administration. Her graduate coursework focused on policy and planning with
an emphasis on the public-private interface.
As a graduate student, Kaylyn completed and then moved on to serve as a project
assistant for the Anderson School of Management’s Washington Campus Program,
which provides in-depth public policy and regulatory education. This program provided Kaylyn with a greater
understanding of the public policy process and those policy issues of greatest interest and impact to business
leaders today. Kaylyn also served as a graduate and project assistant delivering several bodies of research,
including an analysis of executive Master’s in Business Administration programs nationwide that she was invited
to present to the school’s dean.
Beginning in 2009, Kaylyn worked as an intern at Sandia National Laboratories where much of her work
centered on competitive intelligence and market research across various sectors, including energy, space, cyber,
missile defense, and homeland defense. In particular, Kaylyn focused on the implications of relevant policy
issues on specific technologies and competitive landscapes.
Kristen Peters
NA-212: Office of European and African Threat Reduction
Washington, DC
Kristen Peters completed a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management at
Georgetown School of Continuing Studies. Her interest in emergency response stems
from her work as an Emergency Medical Technician and participation in the response
to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Kristen is also a member of the
International Association of Emergency Managers.
Kristen holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Barnard College, Columbia
University where her studies focused on political economy and the practical application of foreign policy on
international relations. She earned a certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and gained
valuable international experience while teaching abroad in China. Kristen is also proficient in French.
While working in the financial world, Kristen earned valuable program management experience through her work
managing diverse portfolios and closing high-value trades. She plans to use her diverse skill set and experiences to
work in radiological emergency operations.
Matthew Proveaux
NA-143: Office of Cost Policy and Analysis
Washington, DC
Receiving his master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
in 2014, Matthew Proveaux focused his studies on nuclear engineering and technology,
with an emphasis on policy as it relates to nuclear security. In his master’s project,
Matthew optimized electronics for a plastic scintillator detector, making it operable for
the detection of highly fissionable materials. Matthew also holds a bachelor’s degree
in physics with honors from the University of California, Davis.
Matthew has served in several different teaching capacities. He taught physics at the high-school level before
becoming a physics instructor for freshman at UC Berkeley. There he developed an original curriculum to prepare
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32. students for learning advanced physics. Matthew also served as a graduate instructor in nuclear reactions and
radiation at UC Berkeley. In this role, he helped students perform experiments in nuclear and atomic physics.
To further his understanding of relevant policy issues, Matthew supplemented his technical coursework with
policy-focused studies at Harvard University and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Nicholas Quintero
NA-73: Office of Nuclear Materials Integration
Germantown, MD
Nicholas Quintero is working toward a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from
Texas A&M University within the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute. His
academic work has focused on addressing complex nuclear threats and the
nonproliferation of nuclear weapons from both a technical and policy perspective.
Nicholas is an active member of the Aggie Honor Council and the Tau Beta Pi National
Engineering Honor Society and serves as president of the university’s student chapter
of Institute of Nuclear Materials Management—the largest and most active student chapter in the world.
During his master’s coursework, Nicholas served as a research assistant with the Office of the Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters at the U.S. Department of Defense. In this capacity, he played a critical role
in developing a system of sensors designed to characterize nuclear detonations in support of the National Technical
Nuclear Forensics Program. Nicholas assisted in hosting visitors from international defense counterparts and
provided technical feedback on regularly scheduled project reports. He also led a study—provided to senior
management at the U.S. Department of Defense— on options for disposing of weapons-grade plutonium.
While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of New Mexico, Nicholas worked as
a student intern at Sandia National Laboratories where he conducted research and prepared materials used in
international engagements related to export control and nuclear nonproliferation.
Brendan Reardon
NA-256: Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection
and Deterrence
Washington, DC
After completing his bachelor’s degree in American history from Northwestern
University in 2008, Brendan Reardon served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the
Republic of Kazakhstan for more than two years. Brendan lived in a small village and
taught English to students from grades 5-11. While there, Brendan saw firsthand the
impact from the Soviet Union’s prior nuclear testing, inspiring his commitment to a
career in international nuclear security.
In 2013, Brendan completed a dual-degree program at the University of Michigan, receiving a master of public
policy and a master’s degree in Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies. Brendan’s coursework focused on
economics, public policy, and quantitative analysis with courses on the history, culture, politics, and economics of
the former Soviet Union. While there, Brendan served as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate survey course on
the history of the Russian Empire, the USSR and the soviet successor states. In the summer of 2012, Brendan also
worked as a research assistant at the Bipartisan Policy Center in support of the Foreign Policy Project. Brendan’s
research contributed to formal reports on U.S. strategies to safeguard nuclear material and prevent weapons
proliferation in the Middle East.
Brendan received the DACOR Bacon House Foundation Fellowship in the advanced study of international affairs in
2012, as well as the University of Michigan’s Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies Fellowship in 2011. He is
fluent in Russian and speaks conversational Italian.
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33. Heather Seipel
NA-22: Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research
and Development
Washington, DC
Heather Seipel focused her academics on the field of fissionable material detection
and identification and will defend her doctoral thesis in applied physics from Idaho
State University in 2015. Much of her research was conducted at the university’s Idaho
Accelerator Center and focused on the development of nondestructive characterization
techniques for special nuclear materials, where her contributions were characterized
as invaluable. Heather began her focus on research early in her academic career,
authoring articles in leading journals including the Journal of Chemometrics and the Journal of Computer-Aided
Molecular Design, and she received Idaho State University’s Outstanding Student Achievement Award as an
undergraduate.
Heather has conducted a number of other research projects to advance nuclear safeguards and nonproliferation,
working with researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, PNNL,
Idaho National Laboratory, and the Naval Research Laboratory, among other academic and industry organizations.
She has been active in presenting the resulting research through a variety of professional society meetings and
conferences, including the SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing Conference, and the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers Nuclear Science Symposiums and Medical Imaging Conference.
Daniel Sharp
NA-123: Office of Material Management
and Technology Maturation
Washington, DC
Beginning in June 2013, Daniel Sharp worked for the Technology Maturation Division
of NNSA’s Office of Defense Programs, first as a student program analyst and most
recently as a technical support contractor through his employment with Leidos. Daniel
supports NNSA in the development of program oversight, program direction and
strategy, and technical analysis of scientific research and development, engineering,
and production activities required for nuclear weapon systems. Prior to this role,
Daniel served as an intern with the State Department Bureau of European Affairs in the Office of Policy and
Regional Affairs.
Much of Daniel’s interest in national nuclear security stems from his service in the U.S. Navy. In 2009, Daniel
completed Naval Reactors’ training program and reported to the USS George Washington in Japan where he served
as a reactor mechanical division officer. His work focused on nuclear power plant operations, including the control
and disposition of associated radioactive materials. Upon completion of his service, Daniel joined the Navy Reserve
while living in Moscow. He worked as an international relations officer for the U.S. European Command, assisting
the Russia Desk Officer in Germany with planning and coordination of U.S.-Russian military engagements.
As an undergraduate at Abilene Christian University, Daniel supported a Russian-American research collaboration at
Brookhaven National Laboratory by working directly with Russian particle physicists measuring the properties of
elementary particles. He also spent a semester in Russia at Moscow State University where he became fluent in
Russian. Daniel recently completed his master’s degree in health physics from Georgetown University.
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34. Shannon Stacy
DOE-IN-13: Department of Energy Office of Intelligence
and Counterintelligence
Washington, DC
Shannon Stacy completed her master’s degree from the Monterey Institute of
International Studies with an emphasis on nonproliferation and terrorism studies.
There she served as a graduate research assistant in the James Martin Center for
Nonproliferation Studies. Simultaneously, Shannon was enrolled at Henley-Putnam
University, pursuing dual master’s degrees in intelligence management as well as
terrorism and counterterrorism, to be completed in 2015.
In the summer of 2012, Shannon worked as an intern at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where she
conducted radiochemical and environmental sample analysis on behalf of the IAEA’s Network of Analytical
Laboratories. Her NNSA-funded work centered on the investigation and identification of isotopes for safeguards
classification. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering, Shannon worked as a Global Nuclear
Science and Technology Intern with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She also served as an engineer at the Palo Verde
Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, participating in research and training related to nuclear operations.
Shannon has engaged in extensive supplemental studies to further her understanding of relevant nuclear technical
and policy issues, including courses from several national laboratories, the Institute of Nuclear Materials
Management, and the American Nuclear Society. Prior to her academic career, Shannon served in the
U.S. Army working in intelligence analysis.
Malika Taalbi
NA-211: Office of Radiological Security
Washington, DC
Malika Taalbi obtained her master of international public affairs from the La Follette
School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where her coursework
equipped her to focus on the intersection of U.S. security policy with international
human security. Through her graduate studies, Malika contributed to a cost-benefit
analysis for the replacement of traditional cesium-chloride blood irradiators with X-ray
technology on behalf of NNSA’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative. Malika holds a
bachelor’s degree in political science from Marquette University where she served as the orientation student
coordinator executing a number of highly visible events.
During her graduate career, Malika worked as a fellow for Wisconsin Without Borders, a campus initiative through
the university’s Global Health Institute, Morgridge Center for Public Service, and the Division of International
Studies. The initiative promotes interdisciplinary, global efforts to develop more sustainable strategies for human
well-being. Malika’s contributions included co-authorship of an article published on behalf of the Association of
International Educators discussing standards for globally engaged scholarship, in which communities help
determine what needs academia can best fill.
As a research assistant at the Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, Malika designed and researched a
project proposal on international transitional jobs programs and assisted on policy research to address poverty.
She played a key role in former Senator Russ Feingold’s 2010 re-election campaign, planning and executing voter
outreach and visibility strategies while managing the campaign office for north-central Wisconsin. In 2013, Malika
received a Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowship from the U.S. Department of Education where she studied
the Uzbek language. She is also proficient in French.
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35. Juan-Antonio Vigil
NA-191: Office of Life Extension Programs
(Air Delivery Systems)
Albuquerque, NM
Juan-Antonio Vigil received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering specializing
in explosives engineering and his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the New
Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. During his undergraduate coursework,
Juan-Antonio led a team in designing, building, and programming a remote,
automated lab capable of synthesizing improvised explosives for the Energetic
Research and Testing Center in New Mexico. Subsequently, Juan-Antonio went on to specialize in explosives
engineering and shock physics during his graduate studies.
Juan-Antonio joined Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2006, working his way from a machinist technician during
high school, to an explosives technician, to his role today as an engineering graduate research assistant. As a
member of the Focused Experiments Group within the Weapons Experiment Division, Juan-Antonio applied his
expertise at firing sites to assist with and advice on explosive operations. Through this work, Juan-Antonio has
become experienced with a broad range of specialty equipment such as radiography, high-speed cameras, and
photon Doppler velocimetry diagnostics equipment.
To supplement his academic and professional experience, Juan-Antonio participated in a multitude of trainings and
certifications, including coursework at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Defense Nuclear Weapons School and
the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response training. He also is a member of several professional
societies, including The International Society of Explosive Engineers.
Juan-Antonio is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in explosives engineering from the Missouri University of Science and
Technology.
Willie Ward III
NA-142: Office of Budgeting, Performance,
and Decision Support
Washington, DC
Willie Ward’s academic and professional background has centered on business
management and leadership development. While obtaining his bachelor’s degree in
business management from Norfolk State University, Willie served as President of the
School of Business Honor Council and as a Peer Mentor in the ACCESS Office of First
Year Experience. While obtaining his master of business administration (MBA) at
Radford University, Willie served as president of the MBA Student Association and
worked as a resident director in the campus’ largest residence hall, where he managed a staff of eight.
During his academic studies, Willie participated in the Historically Black College & University Career Development
Marketplace, working closely with the American Small Business Alliance, Inc. There, he helped to develop effective
standard operational procedures and small business best practices.
Willie’s business leadership and initiative extend beyond academia into the professional arena. At Northrop
Grumman Corporation Electronic Systems, he played a key role in streamlining supplier verification procedures,
analyzing strategic commodities expenditures, and coordinating community outreach engagements. Previously,
Willie served as a Staff Operations Manager at Los Alamos National Laboratory where he planned and implemented
business and operational procedures to ensure laboratory compliance. He also worked at the U.S. Department of
the Treasury, providing budget analysis within the Office of Financial Management. Willie’s professional experience
first began with an internship at Northrop Grumman Corporation Shipbuilding where he worked as a subcontract
manager and validated contracts and invoices for the Submarine Engineering Planning Yard.
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